Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 6, 2024

Social Transformation and the Educational Patterns of Female University Students in Modern China

(Abstract)

Liang Chen and Li Zhongqing

Under the backdrop of modern social transformation, the educational environment and choices of Chinese female university students not only differ significantly from traditional Chinese women, but also from their European and American counterparts. On one hand, with the lifting of restrictions on women’s education, coeducational forms were widely adopted by Chinese universities, creating a relatively relaxed institutional environment for female students. On the other hand, the social origins and geographical distribution of female students remained more concentrated compared to male students, with barriers to higher education for women markedly higher. Behind this comparatively relaxed educational environment, additional strict class restrictions persisted. It was only after the founding of the People’s Republic of China that the university gates gradually opened to women on an equal footing. This not only contributed to the advancement of research on modern Chinese women’s education, but also provided Chinese experience for understanding the global development process of women’s equality.